1981+solo+-+Studio+Sessions

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Part One - Solo Sessions (March 1981 - May 1982) Overview

The following solo acoustic practice recordings span about a 12-month period, from spring 1981 to spring 1982, although the majority of the material is from the last 3 months of 1981. They material can be broken down into four general groupings:

1) Recordings made at Springsteen’s home in Colts Neck, NJ from late March to early April 1981 during a break in //The River// tour 2) Recordings made at Springsteen’s home in Colts Neck, NJ in late June 1981 during a short break in //The River// tour 3) Recordings made at Springsteen’s home in Colts Neck, NJ from mid-September 1981 thru May 1982 (mostly 1981) following the end of //The River// tour 4) Recordings made at Springsteen’s home in Colts Neck, NJ from mid-September to December 1981 following the end of //The River// tour (featuring early development of many of the //Nebraska// songs)

These are not professionally made recordings. They were never intended to be. It appears Springsteen only used a common, run-of-the-mill cassette recorder. None of these songs exhibit a finished songwriting product. These are song fragments, both musically and lyrically. There is much stopping and starting heard, as Springsteen records bits and pieces, manually stops the recorder then returns sometime later to add more ideas…and so on and so forth.

These recordings can provide an interesting, though often monotonous, glimpse into how Bruce goes about his creative writing process. But very little of this material is listener-friendly and is probably not worth obtaining unless you're a die-hard completist. Springsteen definitely progressed some of these song fragments and ideas to completion – we have the studio end product to attest to that. However many of these titles are likely to have gone little further than what one hears on these tapes.

Part Two - Solo Sessions Details (By Session)

code 1) Recorded at Springsteen’s home in Colts Neck, NJ from late March to early April, 1981 code Note: includes lyrics that would be utilised in "Atlantic City", as well as "Johnny Bye Bye". Note: Note: stunning - a dark, foreboding arrangement of the song previously recorded during the //Darkness// sessions. Soon after this demo was recorded Springsteen would combine his lyrics with the first two lines from Chuck Berry's "Bye Bye Johnny" to create "Johnny Bye-Bye". The composition was premiered live on May 13, 1981 in Manchester, England and later recorded in the studio during sessions for //Born In The U.S.A.// Note that this particular recording can often be found erroneously titled as "Bye Bye Johnny" on bootlegs. Note: just a snippet, with mostly unintelligible lyrics. A song called "Robert Ford" was recorded at the Power Station in April 1982. Note: rockabilly style, does not bear much resemblance to the slower take from //The River// sessions. Note: early, embryonic take of a rather strange song. Note: aka "Let The Girl Go Home". Note: Note: aka "Daniel In The Lion's Den". Just the chorus, repeated. Note: curious demo, the first two verses are from "Living On The Edge Of The World", the third from "This Hard Land". code 2) Recorded at Springsteen’s home in Colts Neck, NJ in late June 1981 code Note: also practiced with the band during soundcheck prior to the concert at Meadowlands Arena on July 8, 1981. A recording of this rehearsal can be found on Lost Masters 5. Eventually given to Gary U.S. Bonds. Note: V1 is an early take. V2 is merely harmonies. code 3) Recorded at Springsteen’s home in Colts Neck, NJ from mid-September 1981 thru May 1982 code Note: The Lost Masters artwork claims that the content of Lost Masters X was recorded in early 1983 - this is somewhat unlikely given that the likes of "Glory Days" and "Wages Of Sin" were recorded at The Power Station in April and May of 1982, respectively. Late 1981-early 1982 is far more likely. Note: just harmonies, with no lyrical content. Note: recorded January-April 1982. V3 is solely harmonies, V4 features lyrics similar to "Dollhouse". V5 has lyrics from "Janey Don't You Lose Heart". Recorded with the band in June 1983 during the //Born In The USA// sessions. Note: not much more than a repeated guitar riff. Note: guitar riff and harmonies. Note: an interesting group of takes recorded January-April 1982. V5 is most like the final version on //Tracks//. Note: song in the early stages of development. Note: V1 is a demo from January-April 1982, with incomplete, mumbled or unintelligible lyrics. V2 just contains background vocals. Note: mostly bluffed or unintelligible lyrics. Evolved into the uncirculated outtake "Bells Of San Salvador" which was rehearsed with the band at Telegraph Hill in March/April 1982. See the Born In The USA - Studio Sessions page for more information. Title probably coined by the Lost Masters creators since it is the only audible lyric. Note: V1 is an early workout, with some lyrics. V2 and V4 feature harmonies and guitar work, V3 is a longer take with more lyrics, although some are mumbled. From January-April 1982. Note: no relation to "Jesse James" from the //We Shall Overcome - The Seeger Sessions// album. May be related to "Robert Ford And Jesse James" which was demoed in early 1981. Some lyrics are eventually reused in "Outlaw Pete". Note: reminiscent of "My Love Will Not Let You Down". Demos from January-April 1982, rehearsed with the band at Colts Neck in April before being cut at The Power Station in May 1982. Note: recorded January-April 1982. Music appears to be "Follow That Dream", with lyrics reminiscent of "Loose Ends". Contains some lyrics that would end up in "Janey Don't You Lose Heart". Rehearsed with the band at Colts Neck in April 1982 and subsequently recorded with the band at The Power Station in May 1982. Note: brief demo of V10 of "Don't Back Down", track four of The Lost Masters XVI. Note: very early demo from January-April 1982. Features the "my Dad..." verse that was cut from the final album version, but appears on the "This Hard Land" and "Murder Incorporated" bootlegs. Note: aka "James Lincoln Deer(e)". Well-developed demo recorded January-April 1982 that would later evolve into "Richfield Whistle". Also worked on extensively in early 1983. code 4) Recorded at Springsteen’s home in Colts Neck, NJ from mid-September to December 1981 code Note: short take of not much more than the title, repeated. Subsequently recorded with the E Street Band and Gary U.S. Bonds for his //On The Line// album in early 1982. Note: uses lyrics that will later be found in "Born In The USA" and "Shut Out The Light". Note: much more developed than the take recorded in late June. Subsequently recorded with the band at The Power Station in May 1982. Note: well-developed demo. May have evolved into "When The Lights Go Out". Note: V1 is similar to the released version, with some lyrical variations. V2 is closer still. Note: V1 is wildly different from subsequent takes. V2 is when things start to get familiar, featuring the lyrics //"Born baby in the USA, I believe in the American way".// A fascinating glimpse at the development of a classic. Note: similar to the released version with some lyrical and melodic variations. Note: opening lines are similar to the album version. The rest is Bruce trying variations of the chorus. Note: brief demo which includes the closing lines of both the //Nebraska// take and the final //Born In The USA// album version. Note: aka "The Answer". Work-in-progress take of the song that would eventually be recorded during the //Nebraska// session in January 1982. This recording actually appears to be two consecutive takes of the final verses. Closing line of this take //"...I hung my head and cried"// can also be found in "Downbound Train". Note: Bruce whistling "Red River Rock" over a guitar backing. Note: two takes of the introduction and first two lines. Note: warm-up of the traditional song which has also been covered by Bob Dylan. Note: just the refrain of the Roy Orbison classic.

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